Discounts and waivers offered to spur work force development
More than 100 companies that participate in a Maine Development Foundation program are getting extra incentives to encourage their employees to seek higher education.
On Aug. 1, Standish-based Saint Joseph's College increased its tuition break to the 120 businesses in the Maine Employers' Initiative, the foundation's work force and education program. The tuition discount rose from 10% to 15%, and application fees were waived for the college's 14 online degree programs for working professionals, such as health administration, business administration, accounting and long-term care. Saint Joseph's is the only educational institution offering tuition discounts to companies in the employers' initiative, but MDF is encouraging other institutions to do the same, says Maggie Drummond, program director of MEI. The online offerings appeal to professionals with busy schedules, she says. "Often the adult work force doesn't have a lot of time or resources, and sometimes the employers are the perfect lever to encourage them to go back to school," she says.
MDF launched the employers' initiative about three years ago to increase degree attainment by the 200,000 or so Maine workers who have some college experience but not a degree, says Drummond. It's free for companies to participate, but they must sign an agreement "committing to one more step to support education or career opportunities," Drummond says. That step differs depending on a company's current commitments, but could include offering tuition assistance, paying for training seminars and inviting educational institutions to the office to explain course offerings. Participating companies include Androscoggin Bank, Bath Iron Works, Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, Geiger and MMG Insurance, according to the MEI website.
A program evaluation last year showed a 25% increase in employees of member companies who took advantage of educational opportunities, Drummond says. MDF hopes to bring the number of companies participating to 150 by next year, and ultimately encourage 500 companies to sign on.
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